Josh McDaniels Withdraws From Colts’ Head Coaching Job?

Earlier today, the Indianapolis Colts announced that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would be their new head coach, with a introduction press conference scheduled for Wednesday.

However, not it looks like that won’t be the case. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, McDaniels will not be coming to Indy to coach the Colts but instead will be staying with the Patriots as the offensive coordinator. See his tweets below:

Stunner: Patriots’ OC Josh McDaniels has decided NOT to accept Colts’ HC job and will remain with New England, sources told ESPN.

In the past 48 hours, Patriots owner Robert Kraft began talking with Josh McDaniels and ultimately wound up sweetening his contract, helping to entice him to remain in New England, per sources. Bill Belichick has his OC back.

Schefter, went on to elaborate about McDaniels decision to stay in New England, and not come to Indy.

Via ESPN

This wasn’t a decision about money. The truth is, McDaniels has been vacillating on this decision throughout the interview process, ever since meeting with the Colts on wild-card weekend. It is the reason a second meeting with Colts officials and team owner Jim Irsay was held. McDaniels was trying to get comfortable with the idea of taking his family out of New England and moving it to Indianapolis.

Throughout the process, McDaniels had emphasized to the Colts that he would need time to mull the decision and discuss it with his family. The more McDaniels reflected on potentially having the opportunity to coach the Colts, the more it did not feel right to him and the better it felt to remain in New England. McDaniels still would like to become a head coach again, but this time, in this instance, he was not comfortable.

As Pro Football Talk noted, this turn of events shouldn’t be a shocked, since there was chatter that McDaniels might turn down the Colts job.

Via Pro Football Talk

PFT reported on Super Bowl Sunday that there was significant chatter among people in the know that McDaniels might turn down the Colts job. And McDaniels has repeatedly refused to confirm that he’s taking the job, despite the many reporters asking him Colts-related questions before and after the Super Bowl.

Colts have released a statement about McDaniels’ decision.

After agreeing to contract terms to become the Indianapolis Colts’ new head coach, New England Patriots assistant coach Josh McDaniels this evening informed us that he would not be joining our team. Although we are surprised and disappointed, we will resume our head coaching search immediately and find the right fit to lead our team and organization on and off the field.

The scheduled press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium will not take place tomorrow. More information will be forthcoming.